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•Seeks Soludo, security agencies’ intervention over threat to life
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The Chairman of Umueri village- Ogbunike community in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Levi Elobisi, is currently facing the greatest battle of his life.
His acceptance of the clarion call from his people to rescue them from alleged maladministration of the past leadership of the village union who were in office for 17 years, has landed him in trouble as the same people who allegedly held the village hostage are after his life.
Speaking to newsmen, last weekend, Elobisi called on the relevant authorities, particularly the Nigerian Police and the state government, to investigate the failed assassination attempt on his life.
The attempt, which took place along the popular St. Monica’s road Ogbunike, on January 10, 2026, led to the destruction of one of his cars. Though riddled with bullets, he managed to escape unhurt miraculously, but the trauma has continued to haunt him since then.
His attackers also destroyed properties worth millions of naira while members of his executives and family members are presently in hiding, as the attackers also torched their buildings and destroyed their valuables.
At the heart of the trouble was the reported vote of no confidence passed in him and his executive by a faction of the village, following what his attackers alleged to be his refusal to share the money generated from the sales of the village land.
Leading a team of policemen from Abuja who came for an on-the-spot assessment tour of the situation, the traumatised chairman, Elobisi, lamented that the physical attack on him came after repeated threats on his life.
He personally appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to urgently intervene to save his life, his family members, his executive members, and the village as a whole.
He said the development has thrown the local dwellers into deep confusion, frustration, and sleepless nights since it started.
“I am the only son of my family; I was unanimously elected to chair the village and to change the 17-year-old bad leadership of the past administration headed by one Mr. Ikegbunam.
“I was elected alongside my executive on July 14, 2024, to serve for a period of four years, and within one year and six months, I was able to build a historic 120-capacity civic centre with modern furniture, including double flats, borehole, restaurant/bar, recreation centre, solar panels and inverters for 24-hour electricity supply, among other amenities.
“My administration has also provided a stable electricity supply from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and pipe borne water for the entire village within the period under review.
“On December 30, 2025, a vote of no confidence was passed in me and my executive for refusing to accept the evil agenda of sharing the money we generated from the sales of the village land. The entire drama was orchestrated by the past executive, who led this village for 17 years without a single achievement. The only achievement was buying cartoons of beer and sharing among leaders of the nine quarters that constitute the Umueri village”.
Calling for justice and protection from the government, Elobisi said the entire executive has been forcefully chased away from the village to an unknown destination, leaving their loved ones in hunger, pains and agony.
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“I want to let the Anambra State Government, the South East leaders and the public at large know what my people are currently going through right now”.
The chairman, while appealing to governor Soludo to urgently intervene, noted that the matter was reported to the police for a proper investigation and possible prosecution of the culprits.
Though a civil matter has been instituted at Otuocha High Court in Onitsha over an attempt to overthrow his leadership, the chairman called on the government and security agencies to prevent his “brothers” from further taking the laws into their hands.
He alleged an attempt on his life, burglary at his Umueri Village property, and forceful invasion of homes of members of his executives, as well as vigilance operatives in the area. He added that properties genuinely acquired by people in the area were destroyed; just to pitch the people against his leadership.
Others who spoke to the police and the media during the investigation, include the wife of the Chief Security Officer of Umueri Village Ogbunike, Mrs Ifeoma Onwunagha, wife of a vigilance operative, Mrs Uchechukwu Onyekwuluje, and sister to Chief Elobisi, Mrs Ifechukwu Udeh.
They narrated how their homes and shops were invaded by a group of gun-wielding young men, machetes, axes and other dangerous weapons, with lives threatened, and homes looted because of their relationships with their perceived enemies.
Also speaking, the Welfare Officer of Umueri Village, Ogbunike, Nze Kenechukwu Nzeakor, alleged that on a Tuesday, the youth group visited his house and gave ultimatum for him to leave the village, while Mrs Ifeoma Mmadukife said the rampaging youths wielding gun, axe, and other dangerous weapons also invaded her compound, assaulted her and broke into her house.
Mrs Ogochukwu and husband, Onyeka Mgbolu, also narrated how the group of young people they could identify destroyed their goods and gave him an ultimatum to leave the village.
At Obianwuna’s family compound, one of the sons, Emeka, narrated how their houses were attacked by the same group while he was in a meeting, adding that after the attack, his younger brother, Chinweuba, has not been seen since then.
But when contacted, a member of the past executive, Hon Charles Elobisi, who spoke on behalf of others, described the development as mere allegations that have no documentation.
He said the current embattled chairman of the village, Mr Levi Elobisi, was unanimously served with a vote of no confidence for selling communal land without a proper account of it, a claim which the chairman denied vehemently.
He said the constitution of the village empowers them to remove any leadership that operates against the wishes of the people.
“We acted within the provisions of the constitution” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, when contacted, confirmed that some policemen came from Abuja for investigation over the matter, which a petition was domiciled at the police headquarters, Abuja, and not the state command.
He advised the parties to seek peaceful resolution of any issue they might have since they are brothers and sisters from one village quarter.
